Women can now enter Riyadh's General Court without face veils

Earlier this week, Riyadh's General Court announced it will no longer ban women who do not wear face veils from entering court houses, Arab News reported. 

The decision comes a year after Saudi judicial authorities passed a regulation stating the women who do not wear the garment would not be allowed in courtrooms. 

In her statement on the matter, Shoura member Dr. Eqbal Darandari told Arab News that while the latest decision would make women feel more at ease in courthouses, they are still expected to adhere to strict dress codes. 

“Any applicant frequenting a government department is expected to uphold and adhere by its dress code. Courts of law, specifically, are governed by religious sanctions, which calls for women to dress accordingly in modest attire," she said. 

“That, however, does not mean that we restrict all women under a specific Islamic sect," she added, explaining that several Islamic sects have differing opinions on what a full hijab means. 

While some believe the face veil is an essential part of it, others strongly disagree. 

The latest decision comes just over a week after the case of a young Saudi lawyer, who was kicked out of a courthouse in Riyadh for not wearing a face veil, went viral on social media. 

The woman's story was featured on an episode of MBC's show Ma'ali Al Mowaten. 

During the episode, Abdul Rahman Al Lahem, a lawyer who hired the young Saudi woman as an intern at his firm, shared details of the shocking case. 

He explained that when a judge spotted the woman finishing up paper work in an office room, he immediately called on security to throw her out of the building. 

At the time the episode was aired, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al Qassem, assistant deputy minister of Saudi Arabia's authority for Judicial Affairs, said authorities would thoroughly investigate the matter. 

It's not obligatory for Muslim women to wear the face veil, and the garment is not part of the dress code enforced on women in Saudi Arabia, which includes the head covering and abaya (floor length garment). 

There have always been differing opinions among Muslim scholars when it comes to face covering in general. While most believe it is not obligatory, some think it is. 

Speaking to ABC News Australia, Dr. Raihan Ismail, a lecturer in Middle East Politics and Islamic Studies at the Australian National University, clarified a few points about the controversial face veil. 

"The Koran does not explicitly say you have to cover yourself in this manner," she explained.

"Some scholars argue that it is a religious obligation, particularly the more conservative factions within the Muslim world. There are many variations and interpretations," she added.

When asked why women would choose to wear any kind of veil, including the niqab (full body covering with a slit for the eyes) or the burqa (full body covering with mesh over the eyes,) Dr. Ismail said: 

"Some women wear it because they strongly believe it is their religious obligation." 

She also conceded that others "may be pressured into covering themselves".